This Is Her
by AuroraRain18
Summary: After the tragic death of her parents, she wears a mask, hiding her hurt with silence. And over the years, her dislike for this life and the ninja still at large grows into a deep hatred, while her hope for vengeance turns into a full-scale threat. Mixed up in gangs, learning of darker forces, and tested for ambition, Harumi finds herself at the center of Ninjago's new beginning.


Happy. She was happy. Like any child should be.

Like any child, she giggled. She played. She hugged. She dreamed. She hoped...

"I am A NINJA!" the child shrieked, playing pretend. Her parents watched nearby, unable to contain soft grins. In her hand were two dolls. One red. The other green. "I will defeat you!" the red one said, in her imagination. "Never!" she cried, pitting the two dolls against themselves. Naturally, the good guy won. "Ninja never quit." The child stated, holding the green one to her chest only to glare at the red one. "And good always wins."

Good always wins. But bad always prevails.

Like any child, she had no clue that this was so.

The child laughed, now being embraced by her parents. She cherished the hug, melting right into them.

But when she turned to face them… they did not look happy. Tears glistened in their eyes, and they looked at her with sorrow.

"What's wrong?" she asked… curious… like any child would be.

They didn't answer… only stood up to leave.

"Wait!" the child cried, clueless as to what she should do. "Come back!"

Once again… silence. The child stared in fear, drowning in that silence, like oceans waves, as the two figures of her parents faded, starting to disappear entirely.

The child, however scared, didn't do anything. She silently hoped someone would bring them back. Like any child… she had come to depend on heroes.

But no one came. Her parents were gone. They were quiet. And so was she.

A silent tear crept down her cheek, unknown to the world, as the little girl, now grown up, realized that she was all alone. And, then came the words that left an eerie chill in the subconsciousness of her mind… The ones that haunted her day and night, and followed her everywhere she went…

"Well... Aren't you the quiet one…"

* * *

She jerked awake, forehead lined with cold, fearful sweat. She had just relived her worst nightmare. The nightmare of that fateful reality. It wasn't until three seconds after she awoke her eyes were treated to the golden light of the morning sun that she became positively aware that the events she saw yet again were just the product of her sleeping mind.

This had happened before.

She was in this room again. Yes, it was familiar. It was hers after all. But it was this room that reminded her that she was trapped.

And three raps on the door.

" _Princess_?" The voice of Hutchins- her advisor, and most trusted friend in the palace- sounded. " _Princess_ , are you awake?"

The girl cursed, completely un ladylike, but absolutely necessary. Despite her few years at the palace Harumi had not yet gotten used to the early schedule. Like other _normal_ thirteen year olds, she enjoyed staying up late, if only to feel as though she was getting away with something.

"Um... yeah!" With that she rushed to get to work, not bothering with the traditional make up just yet. Instead she tore through her closet, looking for a dress, slipping it on over her sleepwear while trying to calm her tangled locks. One would say she was terrible with multitasking.

By the time she opened the door, dress on backwards, hair in knots, with a crown slipping off her head, Harumi, the Princess of Ninjago, was fifteen minutes late to breakfast.

And _First Spinjitzu Master_ she looked _awful_.

Hutchins's forest green eyes trailed her, trying to keep his level of cool. But he was just as new as her to this place, and, it could not be done. He laughed. And she did too. Protocol was broken from the moment she opened that door.

"Rather _convincing_ Your Highness, though, I do not think your parents will be impressed with your new _fashion_ statement." He commented with amusement sliding off his crisp words. He reached out to push her golden crown, which was dangerously tangled up in her hair, back onto the center of her head.

Harumi giggled, not bothering to dwell on the fact that her humor was, without a doubt, something her adoptive parents would _not_ appreciate. Hutchins, though formal in appearance, had gotten used to the quirky princess's behavior, and quite accepted her as someone that would never be perfect.

"Next time I'll be more _convincing_. You won't even _tell_ I was up late."

"That statement is as ridiculous as saying someday your room will be clean. I have my doubts."

The Princess became flushed, looking down. It was a known fact only to Hutchins and the Royal staff that the Princess's room was _never_ organized. It only expressed her chaotic behavior. And that was the way it was _going_ to stay. "Can you stall for me? Pleeeaaasse?"

"I'm afraid not." Hutchins replied, dryly. He straightened his back and lifted his chin, and Harumi noted that he had gone into advisor mode again, as she often called it. The young Princess had always feared it would someday be his only side. That these walls would leave their mark on him too, weighing him down from his true humanity and spirit. Like it would do for _her_ someday.

Harumi thought for a moment, nose scrunched as she did so.

"Then I _command_ you to. _Princess's_ orders."

She had that smile on her face. The silly one that always somehow made him smile too.

Hutchins sighed, prompting Harumi to stick a playful tongue out at him.

"Ten minutes. No more than that. You are more than old enough to wake up on your own."

"Whatever!" she joked, slamming the door closed, only to parade over to her mirror. "Another day about to be _absolutely_ wasted."

Every day that Harumi had spent in the palace only made her hate the place more. She had always been a quiet type around the Emperor and Empress, as they only really told her what she was doing wrong whenever they were in the same room. She also never really had gotten used to them being her "parents". The ones who adored their Jade Princess could never replace those who adored Harumi. Just Harumi.

Alas... this was her now.

Harumi had to look right. She had to talk right. Stand right. Dress right. And _never ever_ leave these walls. Pretty much _no one_ knew she existed.

She hated this life. _Her_ life. Whatever _her_ life had become.

As Harumi finished applying her makeup- a mask of white and red- for the day, she touched a brush, eyeing her snow-white hair. About a year ago, her adoptive parents decided she was ready to bleach it. It no longer held its old sandy-blonde color...  
Now it was perfect. A clean and proper color that presented itself in a bold manner. This was the spotless hair of a Princess. The hair that held her small gold crown.

At least the crown was temporary. She had expressed to numerous people how much she _despised_ balancing the thing on her head. Her new crown would be much more confining, wrapping around her entire head... but at least it wouldn't fall off randomly. She might dislike the job of a Princess, but, she did not want to risk humiliation. _That_ , she would not stand for.

The girl gently trailed a brush through her locks, being careful not to tug. It was becoming noticeably thicker and much longer. Time could only tell when the Empress would "ask" the staff to cut it for Harumi. It was never going to be past shoulder length. Nor would it ever be worn down. Rules were rules.

But, that didn't mean she couldn't make the hairstyle her own.

She went with two braids, pulling the intricately woven strands into a bun, and resting her small golden crown on top.

Her lips were red. Her eyes were bright. Her dress was a deep green. Her hair was clear white. Her face was hidden.  
Everything about this appearance screamed for attention. She was so clearly a royal. This was the future face of Ninjago's authority.

Authority came in many forms, however. One of the girl's common daydreams was the look of a _hero_. With an outfit of midnight black and the red paint she wore everyday over her eyes. She would give herself bangs- something she had wanted to try for a while now- and would speak for those who couldn't speak for themselves. She would bring Ninjago to true _glory_. Not on a throne, but through pure desire to fix the broken things in this world. Her world.

Maybe being a hero could happen someday.

Harumi realized, as soon as she finished, she could quite possibly be late _again_ if she didn't fix her clothes and get going. So, she did just that, speed walking through the long corridors of the palace to get to the dining room. Luckily there was no one to run into to stop her from getting to her destination _"on time"_.

The first thing she recognized about the eyes that followed her entrance to the room were those of Hutchins. He was facing forward, back at a perfect angle, but with eyes that could joke from miles away. She was glad to have the happy reminder of her friend before she noticed the gazes of everyone else. Specifically, the Empress.

She wasn't allowed to speak on her own, at least without the permission of her husband (sadly, this was tradition in the household), so, her eyes were the only way to express disapproval. She cocked an eyebrow, questioning Harumi's terrible timing, once again.

Harumi ducked her head in response, trying to make it to her seat unnoticed. Breakfast had already been prepared and served, it seemed. She only hoped cold food wouldn't be the punishment. She took a biscuit and stored it under her sleeve for a later use.

The Emperor clicked his tongue after she sat, and the Princess froze, fearing he would say something. Yet, it was obviously his work that held his concerns currently.

"Those ninja are going to tear this nation apart." He commented, grabbing his mug to take a sip of coffee, and barely glancing up from the papers he was reading.

At the mention of the ninja, Harumi risked a glance up, meeting the eyes of Hutchins. She too wasn't allowed to speak; however, the girl wanted _some_ kind of answer as to _what_ the ninja did this time. Around this household, they were a nuisance, bringing destruction with them wherever their path led them. The Emperor had been sick of it lately. The advisor dressed in his deep green uniform shook his head, indicating that it wasn't something good.

 _Another attack. A big one this time._

This wasn't uncommon. The ninja had fought many battles so far. It made her angry sometimes. Yes, they had the right causes. She had those desires too. But they were reckless about it. They didn't care about their people and the livelihoods as they _should_. Battles would be fought, lives would be affected, and they would celebrate, leaving Ninjago alone for a tiny time being. Meanwhile, people like the Emperor- and _her_ , someday- had to clean up the messes they made.

It was an exhausting process to watch.

"Stixx is completely in ruins," Her adoptive father continued.

"F-Father..." Harumi stuttered, completely forgetting that she was supposed to be in silence while they ate. But it was too late now. Both the heads of the Emperor and Empress had turned towards her.

She gulped.

"May I ask what will be done?"

He set the papers on the dining table, inhaling deeply. He was clearly already debating an answer before she had asked. "Nothing. It would have been destroyed anyways. We must not press charges. Not if we wish to remain hidden... we will let the public decide. They tend to have their own opinions. I have no doubt they will complain as they wish."

"And if they don't?" Harumi dared to continue.

The Empress hissed, in a low tone. "Watch your manners."

But the Emperor dismissed his wife's opinion, waving a hand openly. "Nothing will be done. Sometimes, my daughter, things have to be let go. The ninja might be... destructive... however lives were saved. Ninjago owes them a great deal. If they choose to praise... then we will have to live with it."

 _But not all lives were saved..._

She wondered how many deaths were being ignored for the thousands of lives that were _spared_ in the attack. It was sickening.

"I am... truly sorry for asking, Your Majesty," the girl bowed her head, hoping her mistake here would be forgotten. "And I wish to apologize for my late entrance. I will work on embracing tradition."

The Empress narrowed her eyes, obviously not buying it, but the other nodded his head.

"You are a good girl, Harumi. And someday you will make a great ruler. Now... I wish to address your lessons. Your instructor tells me you are... struggling..."

Harumi could roll her eyes if she could get away with it. There were no words to describe how wretched that woman was. Bashira had been here since Harumi first arrived, and she knew _everything_. If the young girl so much as sneezed in a hallway, her behavior was being reported and chastised. History, politics, and etiquette were constantly being thrown down her throat by her one instructor.

The only way the Princess could ever wrap her head around even a simple concept was if Hutchins taught it to her. Ever since she had befriended her advisor, she had learned a greater deal than whatever her instructor offered. The way she walked and stood? Hutchins had practiced with Harumi for hours on her stances. The way she ate? All Hutchins. The knowledge of Ninjago's creation? A simple explanation from the one and only.

Then there was Mallorie. Mallorie was one of the Empress's best maid, and Harumi's only best friend in the palace. The young woman was close to Hutchins's age, yet she bore a much smaller stature, standing slightly taller than Harumi. Yet, she was strong and fierce in ways Harumi thought impossible for a girl behind the paint. Mal could shoot an arrow perfectly. She could swing a sword better than any royal guard. Contradicting those special skills, she could also always excel in the _simplest_ things. She had taught Harumi how to do her hair. How to do her makeup. How to walk in fancy shoes. She had even been taught how to throw a dress together. Mal was a warrior in every way. Yet mothering and friendly and sisterly in the heart. Survival in the palace was practically impossible without Mallorie.

"I just don't... _understand_ why such... ancient artifacts are _important_ for me to study. Excuse me for questioning the reasoning of my studies, yet I feel it necessary for me to focus on... other things."

The man chuckled, finally eating away at his meal after forgetting about the new incident for a little while.

"Every small thing contributes to a big picture. You are not ruler yet, Harumi. You still have time to slowly expand your knowledge. Artifacts such as those you are studying are sacred in the eyes of tradition. We must preserve them... remember them."

 _Tradition_. Harumi certainly hated the word. Tradition was the last thing she kept in mind while keeping up with her endless studies.

Having lost most of her appetite, the Princess suddenly stood, bowing. "I understand. I will make sure my tasks are completed for today..."

In the back of her mind, she pictured herself crossing her fingers. She had too much of a plan today to focus on being Ninjago's next Empress. Today was a special day. And it was hers.

Without much hesitation, the Emperor waved her away, granting Harumi the permission to leave early.

* * *

Harumi after making her hasty exit, thrust her bedroom doors open in a mess of excitement... only to be met with a familiar smirk.

"I could tell your parents _right now_ what you're about to do..." Mallorie teased, placing her hands on her hips. The taller girl had perfectly tanned skin, with her dark black hair done up in a stylish bun. Most of the maids were completely hidden in the palace, doing their work when not in the presence of the Royal family. Thus, they were given rags to wear, and caps to hide their hair. But, the best of the best, which included Mallorie, were expected to dress their best, hiding their faces with the same makeup Harumi had to wear. For _tradition_.

But Harumi was glad for this woman. Mal was much too pretty to be in rags. And she worked too hard to be treated as just a servant. The Empress _actually_ had some good taste when she let Mallorie stick around.

"Seriously though... you _had_ to skip breakfast? You couldn't have been more discreet?"

Harumi shrugged, moving over to her mirror only to start wiping off her rushed work from earlier. She absolutely hated the paint.

"They think I'm studying... and Hutchins-"

"Probably already knows _exactly_ what you're up to and will give me a talk about this _tonight_." Mallorie grumbled. "As the Royal Advisor who has sworn an oath to the values of this family, you can't expect him to let you get away with things like this, Harumi. At least not forever."

The Princess thought about that. Yes, it was true. Hutchins was extremely loyal to the Royal Family. Yet, he had done so much for Harumi already. And Mal too. It was hard to see him ratting them out.

Actually, it was hard to see him doing anything terrible regarding Mallorie. The white-haired girl was young, yes, but after watching them for _years_ , Harumi knew without a doubt that he had a soft spot for her. Which is exactly why Mallorie had been teaching Harumi all these fighting skills and _no one_ else knew. Hutchins was good at keeping those secrets.

"I'll _try_ to be more careful next time Mal," Harumi apologized, faking a pout to make Mallorie laugh. "But _pleeeeaaaassseee_ can you still teach me today? A girl's thirteenth birthday only comes once..."

The older woman rolled her eyes. "Gee, I don't know Rumi... I already came _all_ the way up here, with a plan in mind... _Yeah_ , let's not do _anything_."

" _Noooooooo_!" The young girl dropped to her knees, wrapping her arms around Mallory's red dress, holding the older woman's legs. "You don't know how much I need you today."

Mal giggled, "You sure you want to do this _again_? We spent all day last year training. _And_ the year before that..."

Harumi held her friend tighter. "And every year I love it. Because who knows what kind of crazy shenanigans will happen? I could be... _kidnapped_ or something! And it'll be all your fault when I'm helplessly slaughtered. Princesses definitely need to defend themselves, don't you think?..."

"I think you might be exaggerating..." The girl mused, sounding conflicted by amusement.

"I'm not. I swear. Ask Hutchins. _Don't leave the palace, there are ruffians lurking around every corner, they'll tear you to shreds, slow and painful death death DEATH!"_

" _Alright_." Mallorie laughed, trying to pull her legs away from the Princess's grip. "I get it. Same thing as last year." Harumi's grasp remained. Then Mallorie kicked, causing Harumi to flop on the floor in a fit of giggles. " _Get dressed_ you silly girl! And- well- _I don't know_... act a little more _professional_! You're going to get us _caught_! And _me_ kicked out!"

" _No!_ " The young girl cried, hopping to her feet. "You are _not_ allowed to be fired. You hear me? I can't live in this place without you. Or Hutchins..."

Mallorie rolled her eyes, moving towards the door. "I promised it last year, and I'll promise it this year. _Princess Harumi_ , you have my _word_ that I will _not_ be fired." With that, she hastily exited.

Harumi spared no time at all, changing out of her uncomfortable dress into her "casual" attire. Mallorie had been kind enough to steal her some normal clothing a while back, which was a huge relief. She never wore the civilian wear often, but, when she did, it gave her a sense of her old life. The one she loved before coming here.

Today, as only Mallorie and Hutchins really knew, was Harumi's thirteenth birthday. She had been at this palace for three years now… and it felt like a lifetime. Harumi didn't know how she could spend the rest of her life like this. But, she knew, without a doubt, that every year would bring one escape. And that would be her birthday.

For the previous two birthdays she had at the palace, Harumi had loved to go to a secluded spot in the gardens and spend an _entire_ day training with Mallorie. Thanks to the older woman, Harumi now knew how to aim an arrow perfectly, and, was quite skilled with a sword. She could be sloppy at times, but, for a thirteen-year-old, Harumi was proud to say that she was dangerous.

Harumi adored fighting, in all honesty. There was something about wielding a weapon, and being able to use it properly, that got her heart racing. Even on days where she had a packed schedule, the girl would beg Mallorie for a small lesson if only to get better at it.

And today was no exception. Princess Harumi was more than excited to slip out her window, dressed in informal attire, with her favorite dagger.

She looked out at the early morning sky, breathing in the fresh air with her green eyes closed. She thought for a moment, imagining her mother and father. If they had been there, she would have awoken to her favorite breakfast being made, and a thousand hugs from both of them. They would whisper 'Happy Birthday' constantly throughout the day, and would do whatever she wanted to do.

Harumi felt a longing to be _there_ instead of _here_ … but… being the tough girl they always said she was, she squared her shoulders, admitting the truth. They were gone. She had to live with it now. Today was her birthday. She was going to have fun.

And… she knew, just looking at the early morning sky… maybe this year would be different.

* * *

 **Something I thought I would try :D I have an outline for this, in hopes that I** _ **might**_ **continue with this. There will definitely be a few more chapters beyond this one, but, I'm not actually sure how far I'll get with this xD**

 **So, yeah. This is a Harumi fanfic. There will be no ninja, as far as I know, however, mentions will be thrown around. Just in case you missed it, this one takes place right after the battle of stiix. There won't be any major time skips, so, just assume this takes place between Season 5 and 6. Maybe a little bit after 6 too. Basically I wanted to explore the beginning of the Sons of Garmadon. Because… how in the** _ **name**_ **of the** _ **First Spinjitzu Master**_ **, did a** _ **motorcycle gang**_ **decide to follow a young teenage girl on a crazy quest to resurrect Lord Garmadon xD So a little backstory there. I added an OC, yes, but Mallorie is significant to the character development of both Harumi** _ **and**_ **Hutchins. But, the story isn't focused around Mallorie, so, don't hate me xD It might be a while before we get to it, but, I kinda wanna do something with Mr. E as well. We never get much on him other than he's a Nindroid, so, I thought why not have fun with it xD I will do my best to explain his place in Harumi's story. UV and Killow too.**

 **So, if this is something you guys would be interested in me continuing, let me know ^.^ I will keep my main focus on DH, however, so, I'm not sure how often updates will be. Despite that any reviews, favorites, and follows would be appreciated, as they let me know this is being enjoyed. Have a great day/night everyone!**

 **~Rain**


End file.
